Tube Flies for Sea Trout

[holly]

Hi there, I wonder if anyone can answer my question from both a practical and, scientific perspective.

When I dress a tube fly, particularly the Silver Stoat's Tail, I dress the tube top and bottom.

My question is: ' for anyone using a tube fly with the dressing on top, or a snake fly of the same design, how do you know that it will always fish correctly, i.e. with the wing, dressing on the top'?

Thanks in anticipation, holly.

[T7]

Usually more dressing on top so more buoyant and so stays upright . If in doubt test them in the bath!

[laffingravy]

If tubes represent small fish or sandeels which are the mainstay of a seatrout's diet then who is to say what 'correct' is. Fish swim at all angles and all directions and some fish do on occasion flip upside down. If however you are asking if a tube fly doesn't spin on the nylon when dressed with a wing on top only then they tend not to when fished with a treble hook. I personally believe the reason for this has little to do with buoyancy of winging material and more to do not enough spin being imparted on a tube to rotate if on a piece of nylon with a treble inserted in the arse end. Consider fishing a Devon Minnow with only one blade. They do not rotate. This of course changes with tube flies when using doubles or singles and you invariably find that when fishing a tube with a double the fly does often invert on the hook and this is exaggerated when fishing a single with a tube. This occurs when dressed with a wing only, a wing top and bottom and dressed 'in the round'.

[holly]

Usually more dressing on top so more buoyant and so stays upright . If in doubt test them in the bath!

Cheers T7.

I always dress my tubes top and bottom, therefore, I know my fly is swimming correctly!

I was fishing with a colleague Saturday night and I noticed most of his flies were dressed with just the wing on top.

That was the reason for asking the question.

Regards, holly.

[holly]

If tubes represent small fish or sandeels which are the mainstay of a seatrout's diet then who is to say what 'correct' is. Fish swim at all angles and all directions and some fish do on occasion flip upside down. If however you are asking if a tube fly doesn't spin on the nylon when dressed with a wing on top only then they tend not to when fished with a treble hook. I personally believe the reason for this has little to do with buoyancy of winging material and more to do not enough spin being imparted on a tube to rotate if on a piece of nylon with a treble inserted in the arse end. Consider fishing a Devon Minnow with only one blade. They do not rotate. This of course changes with tube flies when using doubles or singles and you invariably find that when fishing a tube with a double the fly does often invert on the hook and this is exaggerated when fishing a single with a tube. This occurs when dressed with a wing only, a wing top and bottom and dressed 'in the round'.

Cheers LG.

I always dress my tubes with material top and bottom.

I was asking a general question, because, I have noticed a lot of anglers use tubes with the dressing on top only.

I am going out Saturday night subject to conditions.

There are one or two small pods of fish moving through.

Regards, holly.

[The Dog]

Tie yourself a tube with wing just on top - take a look at how it swims when you get to the river. I often hold one of my tubes in the flow and take a quick look at how it is swimming - usually after fishing through a pool or flat without a take! This is for peace of mind as much as anything. They do tend to swim properly - certainly on an aluminium tube. I would think that the weight of the hook at the erse end of the tube pulls it down slightly, plus a fairly bulky/substantial wing will provide some resistance in the water, so combine those two little factors, and they tend to swim properly. I tie all my tubes with wing on top and not all around.

[holly]

Tie yourself a tube with wing just on top - take a look at how it swims when you get to the river. I often hold one of my tubes in the flow and take a quick look at how it is swimming - usually after fishing through a pool or flat without a take! This is for peace of mind as much as anything. They do tend to swim properly - certainly on an aluminium tube. I would think that the weight of the hook at the erse end of the tube pulls it down slightly, plus a fairly bulky/substantial wing will provide some resistance in the water, so combine those two little factors, and they tend to swim properly. I tie all my tubes with wing on top and not all around.

Cheers TG.

Regards, HH.